If you’ve been sucked into the world of Jujutsu Kaisen’s anime, you’re not alone. Its premise of fighting Curses with special powers is simple yet effective, and it’s hard not to love the more eccentric members of its cast.
There are only so many episodes to watch, though, so we’ve found five anime like Jujutsu Kaisen if you’re looking for something similar.
Yu Yu Hakusho
Anime Like Jujutsu Kaisen
When it comes to shonen anime with a supernatural twist, it wouldn’t be surprising for Yu Yu Hakusho to come up first and foremost.
Following a traffic accident where he dies saving a child, teenager Yusuke Urameshi is dragged into the affairs of the Spirit World in exchange for being brought back to life. He’s appointed as a Spirit Detective, charged with tracking down demons who hope to cause havoc and taking them out using special powers utilizing his Spirit Energy.
While this seems simple enough at first, the job quickly spirals into larger conflicts, with Yusuke soon finding himself up against some of the most powerful demons in existence. Alongside his friends and allies though, he might just have what it takes to save both the world of the living and the Spirit World from destruction.
While its art and aesthetic make Yu Yu Hakusho a ’90s shonen to its core, there’s still a timeless appeal to the writing and characters that are hard not to love. They elevate the experience past being just another action series and leave you wanting to see how certain characters will grow and change across the duration of each cour.
It’s on the lengthier side too, meaning you won’t run out of episodes to watch for quite a while once you pick it up.
Noragami
Anime Like Jujutsu Kaisen
How would gods function in modern-day Japan when humanity has learned to live without the worship of many older gods?
Such is the question posed by Noragami, an anime following the exploits of the ancient god of death, Yato, as he strives to survive in current-day Japan. Seeking to rebrand himself as more than an incarnation of killing, he aids humans with whatever problems they may have, from exorcising the spirits haunting them to cleaning their toilets for five Yen.
Of course, being a shonen action series, things quickly take a turn for the bombastic when less-savory gods begin manipulating spirits and phantoms for sinister purposes. Before long, Yato is dragged into these plots, forcing him to use his death-dealing skills in the hopes of restoring peace to the world of humanity.
It’s an odd premise, but one which the show tackles with enthusiasm. Topics like finding meaning in existence, and overcoming past notions or beliefs about one’s self, take the forefront of the storytelling in some really intriguing ways that Jujutsu Kaisen fans will resonate with.
It’s far from a huge time investment too, with only two 13 episode seasons and a handful of OVAs available to watch via sites like Hulu or Funimation.
Blue Exorcist
Anime Like Jujutsu Kaisen
The dilemma of having a protagonist possessed by a villain is still a novel one in anime. However, it’s an issue that the anime for Blue Exorcist tackles masterfully.
Following an event where Satan kills several powerful Exorcists throughout the world, two twins are born from the union of the incarnation of evil and a human woman. While one was born normal, the other was born with Satan’s powers, posing a threat to the world should they ever be let loose.
This comes to pass when Rin Okumura, the twin possessing Satan’s powers, was forced to unleash said powers to free his adoptive father from being possessed by the dark lord. With the genie out of the bottle, he is then taken into the ranks of the world’s Exorcists and must either learn to control his powers or face execution.
Like with Jujutsu Kaisen’s Itadori Yuji, Rin’s struggle to be considered more than a threat to those around him makes for some great storytelling and character interactions. Seeing him gain the trust of his comrades, and watching as those comrades help him fight to find a place in the world, adds meaning to otherwise standard Shonen conflicts.
There’s also a decent amount of the show available to watch, with the first two seasons available through Crunchyroll.
Demon Slayer
Anime Like Jujutsu Kaisen
We’d be remiss not to mention the other shonen powerhouse that has exploded onto the scene alongside Jujutsu Kaisen; that being Demon Slayer.
Following the death of almost all of his family members at the hands of a demon, Tanjiro Kamado discovers that his last remaining sibling, Nezuko, has been transformed into a demon. However, he quickly discovers that she hasn’t fully transformed, providing hope that there might be a way for her to return to normal.
With no other option, he sets out to learn more about demons, who controls them, and how to destroy them before they can destroy the lives of others. This puts him along the path of a demon slayer, and in time he learns the true gravity of the tasks he has set out to complete.
Though somewhat simple in its premise, the show is executed masterfully with top-notch animation and well-paced storytelling. In its first season alone, it has hit crescendos most other series could only hope of achieving in twice the run time.
There’s never been a better time to jump into the series either, with new episodes on the way and an exceptional movie to add on to the list of content you can enjoy from it.
Bleach
Anime Like Jujutsu Kaisen
There are more than a few similarities between Jujutsu Kaisen and the Big Three alumnus Bleach, and that’s a good thing.
Set in a world where the normal and supernatural collide, Bleach sees the hot-headed Ichigo Kurasaki stumble his way into becoming a Soul Reaper – basically a sword-wielding grim reaper tasked with helping the spirits of the departed pass on after they become malevolent Hollows.
In time though, it becomes clear that defeating malevolent spirits won’t be enough to change the world for the better. A rigid hierarchy of Soul Reapers, scheming almighty beings and several others seek to drag the world into chaos for their own ends.
As a result, Ichigo and his friends must face them down in order to ensure the living world and afterlife can enjoy peace, and that their lives aren’t trampled on for others’ ambitions.
In addition to offering plenty of supernatural elements and engaging fights, Bleach shares Jujutsu Kaisen’s love for themes of rebelling against a strict society and trying to find one’s own answer for what is right or wrong. This serves to make more than a few characters engaging to follow, and keeps the world created feeling interesting.
It’s worth noting, however, that the show has a glut of filler episodes ranging in quality. If you’re looking for a focused and compact viewing experience, make sure to go into this series with a list of filler arcs to skip in hand.
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